The Beta Alpha Psi honor society showed its continued commitment to community service with a barbecue ribs fundraiser on April 18, raising over $1,000 to sponsor two children to attend Camp Turner. Camp Turner is a summer resident camp operated by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo in Allegany State Park.
At camp, the children will be able to enjoy many fun activities, including horseback riding, hiking, basketball, soccer, yoga, and arts and crafts. The two children to receive the funding will be selected in May and will be able to choose one of the six summer camp sessions offered.
Beta Alpha Psi, of which Niagara has a Lambda Chi chapter, is the international honorary and service organization for accounting, finance and information systems for students at AACSB- or EQUIS-accredited universities.
Rodney Walker, president of Beta Alpha Psi, has a background as a chef, which certainly came in handy during this fundraiser. Eighteen members actively participated in the success of this event, including non-members Shari Giancola and Marybeth Aquino, who prepared and cooked a variety of ribs, macaroni and cheese, corn bread and potato salad. It was definitely a team effort. Niagara faculty, staff, administrators and students appreciated the delicious summertime food on the chilly spring day.
Beta Alpha Psi is focused on the development of technical and professional skills and participation in community service. This spring semester, Beta Alpha Psi held several technical events that members had the opportunity to learn from professionals in the business world, including speakers from the following companies: Brock Schechter & Polakoff, Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner, Freed Maxick, Lumsden & McCormick, and M&T Bank.
Joe Giarrizzo, administrator for school business services for the Niagara Falls City School District, spoke about “School Budgeting and Opportunities in Educational Accounting and Business.” In addition, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) presented on the opportunities available with the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification.
Walker explained how his own experiences have influenced his commitment to Beta Alpha Psi.
“As a nontraditional student and Beta Alpha Psi president, I have been given a unique opportunity to enhance the collegiate experience for our members,” he said. “I try to utilize my life experience in the restaurant industry and military to bring a strong sense of service and sacrifice that our members may not otherwise be exposed to, and the intangible benefits that can be realized through these actions. I hope to continue to build on the success that we have achieved and look forward to serving in this capacity for the next two years.”
Next fall, Beta Alpha Psi plans to attend the Institute of Management Accountant (IMA) Student Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Mo., to hear presentations on a variety of topics, including forensic accounting, forecasting, the benefits of a CMA certification, career tips, interview skills and resume writing.